Anxiety and clinical outcomes in coronary patients undergoing unplanned catheterization

Abstract

Objectives

To describe the state and trait anxiety level in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing unplanned catheterization; to assess the influence of trait anxiety on state anxiety before and after catheterization, and check if anxiety (state and trait) is predictive of non-fatal arrhythmias, of patients’ clinical severity measured by the Killip score and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and of length of hospital stay.

Methods

An observational, correlational and longitudinal study in which were evaluated participants with acute coronary syndrome waiting for unplanned cardiac catheterization. At the initial meeting (Ti), were collected sociodemographic and clinical data, and were applied the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). At the final meeting (Tf), was applied the STAI-state. Participants were followed up until hospital discharge or death regarding the occurrence of non-fatal arrhythmias and length of hospital stay.

Results

A total of 100 participants were included (62.2±11.4 years; 61% male sex). The STAI-trait score was 42.2±10.4 and it influenced the STAI-state score at Ti and Tf (p<0.005). The STAI-state decreased significantly between Ti and Tf (40.2±10.4 vs 37.2±11.2, respectively, p=0.002). There was no association of STAI-trait or STAI-state with severity indexes, length of hospital stay or arrhythmia occurrence. However, the depression score increased the chance of occurrence of arrhythmias by 9.5% (OR=1.009, 95% CI=0.913-1.115).

Conclusion

The level of anxiety reduced significantly after catheterization, and was not a predictor of short-term clinical outcomes.

Anxiety; Cardiac catheterization/psychology; Acute coronary syndrome/psychology; Coronary disease/psychology